Beet-topper.



D. I. BREECE.

BEET TOPPER.

APPLICATiON FILED 1AN 27.1911.

1,26%371 o Patented June 11, 1918.

2 SHEETS SHEET I.

D. I. BREECE.

BEET TOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-27, 1911.

1,269,371 I, Patented Jun 11, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 14 7 4 7 n J mar/e2 UNTTED FiTArTEFs PATENT DOLE I. BREEGE, OF ALMA, MICHIGAN.

IBEET-TOPEER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 111, 191%..

Application filed January 27, 1917. Serial No. 1443 28.

to which it appertains to make and use the same. i v

This invention relates to a beet topper and the primary object of the invention is to provide a beet topping structure which may be attached to the supporting structure of a sugar beet cultivator, in lieu of the cultivator beams, standards and shovels, which topper structure will top and crown the beets, preparing them for uprooting by any suitable type of uprooting structure.

An object of this invention is to provide a beet topper structure as specified which includes a supporting frame attached to a pair of beams, which beams are adapted for connection to the axle of an ordinary beet cul-,

tivator, in the usual manner and to provide a pair of auxiliary supporting frames which are adjustably connected to the main supporting frame for lateral adjustment with respect to each other, which auxiliary supporting frames carry beet crowning knives and guide plates, which guide plates engage the tops of the beets, mash them down and regulate the position of the crowning knife, which crowning knife is connected to the auxiliary frames.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure l is a side elevation of the improved beet topper.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the topper.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the topper illustrating the crowning knife.

Fig. 4. is a longitudinal section through Fig. 3.

adj u stably supporting ing axle thereof.

stantially U-shaped members Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3, and i Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the crowning knife.

Referring more particularly to the drawin 's, l designates the supporting wheels of an or inary beet cultivator, and :2 the support The beet topping structure which is generically indicated by the numeral 3, comprises a rectangular supporting frame 4, which is preferably constructed of angle H011 and has its side rails extended forwardly, to form beams 55, which are connected in any suitable manner to the axle 2. The horizontal portions of the ends of the rectangular frame a have a plurality of sub- 6 adjustably connected thereto, through the medium of bolts and a lurality of openings 7 which are formed in said horizontal portions. The

. substantially U-sh aped members 6have their bight portions 8 positioned horizontally, and .below the frame 4. The substantially U-shaped members 6 are preferably constructed of angled iron, andthey have the upturned edges 9 of a guiding plate or member 10 adjustably connected thereto by means of bolts 11, which extend through slots 12 formed in the upstanding portion of the members 6 so as to permit of a limited vertical adjustable movement of the knife adjusting plate 10 upon its engagement with beet tops of various heights, for regulating the position of the topping and crowning knife 14.

The bolts 11 extend slidably tln'oi'lgh the slots 12. Thecrowning or topping knife 14 comprises a horizontal blade 15. which has its longitudinal. edges beveled as shown at 16, to form sharpened or knife edges for topping or crowning the beets. The

horizontal blade 15 of the knife has a pair of upstanding plates 17 and 18 formed upon its end which plates are provided with vertically positioned slots 19 through which bolts 20 extend. The bolts 20 extend through the vertical portions 9 of the knife adjusting plate 10 and the slots 19 will permit of vertical adjustment of the blade 14 with respect to the knife adjusting plate 10 so that the distance between the under surface of the plate 10 and the cutting edges 16 of the knife blade 15 may be regulated as desired.

The plate 10 has its forward end upa substantially turned as clearly shown at 21 for engaging and mashing down the tops of beets. A pair of the topping structures including the plate 10 and the crowning or topping knife structures 14: are provided, and they are ad justable laterally with respect to each other, through the medium of the holes 7 formed in the end of the frame 4 so that they may be adjusted to accommodate rows which are at different distances apart.

I11 the operation of the improved beet topper; the upturned end 21 of the plate 10 will engage the tops of the beets, and mash them downwardly. The tops, bearing against the under surface of the plate 10 will have a tendency to force the plate upwardly, through the medium of its adjust able connection with the bight portions 8 of the U-shaped members 6, and as the knives 14f are rigidly connected to the upstanding sides 9 of the plate 10, the knives will be moved upwardly in unison with the movement of the guiding plate, thereby positioning the cutting edges 16 of the knives in the proper position for cutting the desired amount of the crown off the beets. The lighter the foliage, and the deeper into the ground the crowns of the beets are positioned, the less upward pressure there will be upon the plate 10.

. From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of construction and of the method of operation of the improved beet topper will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention .appertains, and while in the foregoing description, the principle of the operation of this invention has been described together with various features of construction, it is to be understood that certain minor features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be altered to suit prac tical conditions provided such alterations are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

What is claimed is 2-- j 1. In a beet topper, the combination of rectangular supporting frame, the sides of said frame being extended forwardly and adapted for attachment to a wheeled axle, a plurality of substantially U-shaped members arranged in pairs and adjustable laterally of said frame, and a beet topping knife carried by the lower bight portions of said substantially U-shaped members.

2. In a beet topper, a substantially rectangular supporting frame, the sides of said supporting frame being extended forwardly and adapted for connection with a wheeled axle, a plurality of substantially U-shaped members arranged in pairs and adjustably connected to said rectangular supporting frame for lateral adjustment with respect to each other, a beet crowning knife adjustably carried by each pair of said U shaped members and comprising a horizontal blade having its longitudinal edges sharpened 3. In a beet topper, a substantially rectangular supporting frame, a plurality of U-shaped members arranged in pairs and adjustably connected to said supporting frame for lateral adjustment with respect to each other, a knife adjusting plate adjustably connected to each pair of said U- shaped members and adapted for movement under pressure of beet tops, and a crowning knife connected to. each of said knife adjusting plates. a

45. In a beet topper, a substantially rectangular supporting frame, a plurality of U-shaped members arranged in pairs and adjustably connected to said supporting frame for lateral adjustment with respect to each other, a knife adjusting plate adjustably connected to each pair of said U-shaped members and adapted for movement under pressure of beet tops, a crowning knife com prising a horizontal blade having its longitudinal edges sharpened, upstanding plates formed upon the ends of said blades, and means for adjustablyconnecting said upstanding ends to said knife adjusting plates.

5. In a beet topper, a supporting frame, a plurality of depending members carried by said frame and adapted for lateral adjustment, said members arranged in pairs, a, knife adjusting plate yieldably connected to each pair of said members for vertical movement, and a topping knife carried by each knife adjusting plate for movement with the plate.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner 0? Patents, i Washington, D. G. 

